One way to get into the holiday spirit is to warm up with liquors infused with locally sourced flavors from the garden.

Infusing alcohol with fruits, herbs and other botanicals is certainly not something new and has been done for centuries. In fact, your local store is probably filled with flavored vodkas, whiskeys and other liquors containing the essence of various plant-based compounds.

Going local and sustainable

The craft kitchen movement is helping bring back seasonal, wild-crafted spirits. Several local restaurants strive to elevate ingredients, support local producers and reduce waste in the kitchen, with these principals spilling over behind the bar itself, delivering more intense, higher quality botanicals to the glass.

"For me it is a chance to promote our farmers with our beverage program and cocktail menu," said Toby Thomason, general manager and beverage director of Harvest Seasonal Kitchen in McKinney.

"Our infusion wall is a mirror for what is growing in our area for that particular season. Hopefully, the guests get a sense of what is growing around them when they walk up to the bar," Thomason said.

Charred Orange Old Fashioned, an infused cocktail made with a charred orange infused bourbon at Harvest Seasonal Kitchen

(Vernon Bryant/Staff Photographer)

Liquors infused with local ingredients can also be more cost-effective, keeping carbon footprint in mind whenever possible.

Alex Fletcher, beverage director for Dog and Pony Show TX, which oversees Henry's Majestic and the Quarter Bar, subscribes to these ideals and finds ways to fully utilize each ingredient.

"I try not to waste anything behind the bar," Fletcher said. For instance, in his standard yet iconic Old-Fashioned, Fletcher uses just strips of orange peel. "Instead of letting that peeled orange go to waste, we remove the pith and slice the oranges and dehydrated them to use for garnishes on other cocktails."

Alex Fletcher, beverage director of the Dog and Pony Show Texas peels an orange for a Cinnamon Pear Old-Fashioned

(Vernon Bryant/Staff Photographer)

Infusing at home

Countless botanically infused spirits can also be made at home, with many of the tools and ingredients possibly already on-hand. The most essential element is time, but the payoff should be well worth the wait.

For those just getting started, Fletcher suggests putting a clear container on display. "They look extremely intriguing to guest and friends," he said. Plus, he likes being able to keep a close eye on the process. Sometimes he swaps out plants every 12 hours to retain freshness and achieve more intense flavors. Some herbs have the potential to break down faster than others, even ruining the flavor if left too long.

At Harvest, Thomason uses 1-gallon glass mason jars, keeping them out at room temperature as well.

Grapefruit Martini, an infused cocktail made with a grapefruit-infused vodka at Harvest Seasonal Kitchen

(Vernon Bryant/Staff Photographer)

High-quality ingredients

When selecting the base alcohols for your tincture, start with something you already enjoy. Although additions to the alcohol can work to layer consistent textures and flavors, using bottom-shelf liquor is not a good idea. You're not trying to cover up the taste of bad spirits as much as you are trying to enhance the flavor of an already good product.

Thomason and Fletcher recommend starting with the highest quality ingredients, capturing flavors of herbs, fruits or flowers at their peak and using produce that's in season.

"If it is beginning to rot or is already wilted, then the infusion will only accentuate that," Thomason said.

Though there are hundreds of flavor combos that will work, Fletcher recommends tasting the ingredients together first. He finds inspiration for his concepts through music, books, everyday life experiences and momentous occasions.

"Cocktails are all about layering cohesive flavors in the most efficient way possible to achieve a balanced idea in a glass," Fletcher said.

Bitters, simple syrup, orange and bourbon infused with cinnamon and pears for use in a Cinnamon Pear Old-Fashioned

(Vernon Bryant/Staff Photographer)

Time to steep

Both bartenders recommend tasting constantly throughout the process and getting to know your plants.

"Learn what can sit for extended periods of time and what only needs a few days to a few hours of infusing," Thomason said.

For those wanting to enjoy the botanical flavors right away, Fletcher recommends starting out by treating herbs "like you would loose-leaf tea, and let the alcohol either slowly pass through them or let the herbs steep, but do not heat. You should be able to taste results almost immediately, but the longer they sit the more intense they will become," he said.

14 Pears, an infused cocktail made with a pear-and-cinnamon-infused vodka at Harvest Seasonal Kitchen

(Vernon Bryant/Staff Photographer)

How long you steep is up to you. "If you are using strawberries, blackberries or other soft fruits, the infusion time can be 24 to 48 hours. If you are using things like black walnuts and pecans, the process can take months," Thomason said.

"Herbs and flowers are delicate if not tested every day. They can quickly turn overnight and leave off flavors or tannins that are not very agreeable," he said.

When experimenting with herbs in cocktails, Fletcher recommends you release the oils in a fun and unique way first. "Ninety percent of the flavor that comes from an herb comes from the oils that it naturally holds. So, before they contact any liquid, give them a quick slap and wake up the oils."

Daniel Cunningham is a horticulturalist with Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension.

Cinnamon Pear Old-Fashioned with infused bourbon by Alex Fletcher

(Vernon Bryant/Staff Photographer)

Cinnamon Pear Old-Fashioned

2 orange peels

2 ounces Pear and Cinnamon Bourbon (recipe follows)

2 dashes of Angostura bitters

1/4 ounce simple syrup

Place orange peels in the bottom of a rocks glass. Press with muddler.

Alex Fletcher, beverage director of the Dog and Pony Show TX, holds up a Cinnamon Pear Old-Fashioned with infused bourbon

(Vernon Bryant/Staff Photographer)

The Rusty Barn Cocktail

1 1/2 ounces grapefruit juice

2 1/2 ounces Drambuie (recipe follows)

Dash of lemon bitters

Lemon wheel, for garnish

Burnt rosemary, for garnish

In a glass, mix grapefruit juice and Drambuie. Add garnishes.

Drambuie: Grind up 1 tablespoon fennel seeds and 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary with a mortar and pestle. Mix with 2/3 cup honey, 1/3 cup hot water and 3/4 cup blended Scotch whisky in a large glass container. Let sit for a week, flipping upside down every 24 hours or so.